The report notes that the numbers rose when Homes in Havering (HIH) was included in the statistics.

Cllr Barrett said: “The figures seem to have jumped up when HIH were added, but this may have incorporated a number of people with long-term sickness.”

Leader of the Labour group Cllr Keith Darvill blamed the pressures put on staff.

He said: “Difficulties from cutbacks and continued austerity is creating pressure on staff. If you are under more pressure then maybe that’s one of the factors causing sickness.”

Cllr Barrett added: “It’s up to employees to make sure staff aren’t in a situation where it’s going to make them ill in the first place.

“There’s more and more pressure on staff. We need to make sure we don’t put staff in the situation where they become ill.

“We need to end that vicious cycle.”

Cllr Michael Armstrong, cabinet member for transformation, raised his concerns of HIH.

He said: “HIH had historically higher sickness levels which are now being addressed.

“While that might explain the change, it does not excuse it. This is an unacceptable level of sickness and more robust management has been put in place to drive sickness levels down across the organisation.”